Illiterate, Innumerate Grandmother Supports Family Selling Donuts

Literacy and basic math skills are just some of the things a person needs if he or she wants to do business.

In the Philippines, however, an 85-year-old lady sells her doughnuts despite not knowing how to compute the amount for purchased goods or to make change.

“How much is your change? I don’t know how much change you need,” she tells buyers of her doughnuts.

Lola Diling, illiterate and innumerate, sells her donuts at the University of the Philippines, Diliman campus, to provide for her family, including grandchildren.

She might be cheated by some buyers, but her frequent customers honestly count their own change. Lola says that she believes that there are still good people who will be honest enough about money matters.

“It’s for the livelihood of her family, so it’s just right to give the right amount instead of cheating her,” a buyer said.

She may be weak and old already, but she says that as long as she her body is able, she would make an effort to provide for her family.

Genevieve Baxa

Genevieve Baxa is a college student living in the Philippines. She has a great passion in writing, especially in writing short stories. This unpredictable lady loves everything about East Asia. She is enthralled by the culture and fashion of these countries. She also loves everything about children; teaching them; taking care of them; and playing with them. In addition to that, Genevieve especially loves to go on Mission Trips and serving different kinds of people. Above everything else, she is a lady who fears her God.